German Embassy Marks 27th Anniversary of Unification of Germany
On October 3, the German Federation Republic marked its unification. On this very day, the German Democratic Republic (GDR) joined the Federal Republic of Germany, thus becoming a united republic again. The date was celebrated by the German Embassy in Georgia at the Funicular Restaurant, Mtatsminda. The reception was ample with foreign diplomats accredited in Georgia, as well as local officials.
This is the German-Georgian Year and the 25th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations. Furthermore, the year of 2017 marks two centennials from the arrival of the first German emigrants to Georgia.
“We celebrate today 27 years of German unification,” Heike Peitsch, German Ambassador to Georgia, told GEORGIA TODAY. “We are very grateful to our compatriots of the former GDR, cities like Berlin, Leipzig, etc, because they went to the streets and fought peacefully for freedom, democracy and rule of law. We are very glad to celebrate this event because this was a very important day not only for Germany but it also changed the architecture of the whole of Europe. We are very glad to celebrate this day with our Georgian friends. German-Georgian relations are very close and deeply rooted in history.”
She also mentioned the high-level visits last week of Georgan Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili who met with Angela Merkel, German Chancellor in Berlin and the forthcoming first official visit of German Defense Minister Ursula Gertrud von der Leyen who arrived in Tbilisi on October 5.
Highlighting the importance of Georgia-Germany bilateral relations, the Georgian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mikheil Janelidze emphasized that Germany has been one of the key donors and supporters of Georgia’s democratic development and European and Euro-Atlantic integration since its restoration of independence. He also reaffirmed that Germany was one of the first countries to recognize Georgia’s independence and to open its diplomatic mission in Georgia. “Close co-operation and political links with Germany are of great importance, to which attests the Georgian Prime Minister’s visit to Germany shortly after the elections, and his meeting with the Federal Chancellor of Germany,” the Minister noted. “Just as Germany reunited 27 years ago, on 3 October, Georgia will also achieve peaceful reunification through the support of such partners as Germany and will thus be able to contribute to the security and development of Europe”.
Within the coming weeks, a number of significant occasions are on the agenda. On October 7 and 8, a public holiday will be held in Bolnisi, Kvemo Kartli region, the former ‘Katharinenfeld,’ to mark the 200th anniversary since the arrival of the first German emigrants. On October 20-21, the long-awaited concert tours of ‘Sasha Waltz and Guests’ will present the performance ‘Conitu’.
Maka Lomadze